The present invention relates to a chemical reforming process and apparatus. More particularly, and not by way of limitation, the present invention relates to a method and apparatus for converting waste products such as plastic into usable fossil fuel. In essence, the apparatus operates as a Reverse Internal Combustion Engine (RICE) by receiving mechanical energy and waste products as inputs, and outputting usable fossil fuel.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,269,947, U.S. Pat. No. 5,360,553, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,543,061 all relate to a known Thermal Depolymerization Process (TDP) through which longer polymer chains found in organic material are broken into shorter hydrocarbon polymer chains through the application of heat and pressure, and the subsequent release of the heat and pressure. The above patents describe methods of improving the efficiency of the TDP process by feeding back heat released during the latter part of the process and using the released heat to preheat the organic material prior to entering a high temperature and pressure phase. In addition, natural gas, which is given off as a product of the TDP process, is used to fuel the furnaces that heat the material during the process. All of these patents have the shortcoming that the components must be manufactured to withstand both high temperatures (over 500° C.) and high pressures (up to 700 psi relative pressure).
U.S. Pat. No. 6,226,889, U.S. Pat. No. 6,143,136, U.S. Pat. No. 6,105,275, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,746,987 all relate to a method and apparatus for removing at least one volatile contaminant from contaminated material by using a rotary vacuum retort during high temperature and vacuum processing. Such an apparatus could theoretically be used to perform the TDP process, although no known system for that purpose exists. All of these patents have the shortcoming that if they were to be modified to perform the TDP process, they would require complex mechanical structures to heat the rotating retort and maintain the internal vacuum while adding raw material and removing volatile gases and resulting solid materials.
What is needed in the art is a method and apparatus for converting waste products into usable fossil fuel that is simple, efficient, and easily manufactured. The present invention provides such a method and apparatus.